The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-10-27
AMERICA AS A MODEL.
Some Favorable Criticisms on the Constitu.
tf0nal Centenary .-sss,.4v--4---gs.-s--.

SOm0 FAVORABLE Cr1t1C18mB ON yn0 COm1GHG0s
tionsl Centenary --.s,say-.-~-g..-s,-.s
When the experiment Of governments
by the people was attempted In this
country the general opinion in England
was that it would prove but noisy pre-
lu6e to anarchy. The characteristics
confidently predicted of democratic in
stitutions were instability, frivolity and
subservience to the gusts and vacilla-
tions of popular caprice. Experiences
has discredited all such opinions and the
most striking feature of our constitu-
tional system is now recognized to be its
conservatism. 1t is admitted to excel
in the very characteristic which used
to be claimed as the special merit Of
monarchical and aristocratic systems OF
government.
This recognition is very conspicuous
in English comment upon the recent
centenary of the adoption of the con.
stitution. Even such an ultra Tory or
gan as the St. James Gazette describes our
system of government as "the freest and
strongest, and certainly the most con-
servative in the world" Discussing the
distinctions between State and Federal
powers, the independence of the execu.,
tive department and the conservative AZ
rangements which restrict the work Of
constitutional development to the sober
second thought of the people, the Gasstts
says: Contrast this reverence for an
cient laws and excessive care for the sta
bility of the government of the republic
with the state of things under the English
monarchy-where the whim of single
chamber can work the most fundamental
changes in the course of single session."
The tenor of this criticism is the more
| interesting inasmuch as we have in this
country an Anglo-maniac class of politi-
cal writers and agitators whose special
object of attack is the very conserve
tism that foreign observers cannot but
| admire. The violent effort made to con-
vert our civil service into bureaucracy
ON the English model is only part Of
the Anglicizing scheme. A great
| deal of heavy essay writing 10
being done in favor of giving
the Presidents cabinet officers seats
in the House, so as to fuse the
legislative and executive departments Of
government, and thus initiate the English
system as much as possible. In England,
where the disadvantages Of intru citing
the executive powers to COMMITTEES 81
the Legislature are appreciated iron
actual experience, our system OF eepayot<
ing the executive and legislative depart
ments 10 regarded as the most admirable
feature of our constitution. In this re-
spect the 81. James Gazette claims that W
have preserved in its integrity . sound
constitutional provision, while england
has drifted into dangerous innovation.
1t says:
Take the familiar distinction our fath
| loved between the executive and legislaftQ1
powers. In America 1t holds good to-day;W6G1
| In England 1t IL forgotten - . matter 01
theory, and, "a Q matter OF praCtioo NJ
| find that the Legislature has ugnrDn
most of the functions OF the executive ~
| that the executive has taken for ttself o1y ~
| itiation in legislation. The string Of Quog<1o01
| ny which ministers are badgered and hamp1u<
| night after night effectively asserts tho H.
| of the Commons to control the exoCuf&(1I
| Conservative America preserves the on ~
Wise distinction. while modern HuglAnk T.
forgotten It. ~
The strength Of our constitutions e.
ssts In its careful distribution Of poWo
and its exclusion of Federal autho11
from the sphere of local government. ~
st0lid popular conservatism that otoo
like massive dykes against fsot&
waves of reform and turbulent e4Slc
Of fanaticism guarantees the pefpoo
of our institutions. E.